Feeding apparatus for cigarettes and like articles



May 8, 1928.

. w. E. MoLlNs A FEEDING APPARATUS FOR CIGARETTES AND LIKE ARTICLES Filed Sept. 9. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 na. l., ,15rdA May 8, 1928.

1 w. E. MoLlNs FEEDING APPARATUS FOR CIGARETTES AND LIKE ARTICLES Filed Sgpt. 9. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor W6, 777%@ llllllllllllllllllllllll/lll] rPatented May 8, 1928.

UNITED sTATEs WALTER EVIERETT MOLINS, OF DEPTFORD, LONDON, ENGLAND.

FEEDING APPARATUS FOR CIGARETTES AND LIKE ARTICLES.

Application led September 9, 1926, Serial No. 134,563, and in Great Britain September 22, 1925.

This invention is for improvements in er relatlng to an apparatus for feeding cigarettes and hke articles, and more partlcularly to a cigarette feeding apparatus of the type wherein cigarettes, located in a hopper, are automatically fed between a series of vertically disposed vanes adapted to arrange the cigarettes in superimposed rows co1nprising a predetermined number of cigarettes in each row.

It is an object of the present invention to provide in a cigarette feeding apparatus of the type referred'to, means which will eliminate the possibility of cigarettes becoming jammed in the mouth of the vanes, and thereby interrupting the continuous feed of the apparatus. l

A further object of the present invention is to provide a cigarette feeding apparatus of the type referred to, wherein ova'l cigarettes may be fed from the hopper to the channels formed between the varies, in such a manner that the longer axes of the various cigarettes are all locatedin the same direction.

The present invention consists of a cigaf rette feeding apparatus of the type referred to which comprises means (for example a pair of rotatable rollers) adapted to ensure that one cigarette at a time is fed between a pair of vanes and prevent two or more cigarettes becoming jammedV in` the `mouth of said vanes.

Further the present invention consists of a cigarette feeding apparatus of the type referred 'to wherein means, operatively connected to the vanes or formed integral therewith, are adapted to arrange oval cigarettes in the channels formed between the vanes, in such a manner that the longer axes thereof are located in a constant direction.

Tli'e invention is more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l illustrates a device constructed according to the present invention.

Fig 2 illustrates the device shown in Fig.'

1 when modied to accommodate oval cigarettes.

Fig. 3 illustrates a modified construction of the device illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a fluted roller adapted to be rotatably mounted at the top of each vane in the 'manner illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 5.

Fig. 5 is a detailed side View of One Qt the lplate 2 is a iiuted roller 4c, which vanes showing the luted roller mounted in position thereon, and

Fig. 6 illustrates a detailed construction of vane constructed according to the present invention.

One method of carrying the invention into effect will hereinafter be more particularly described with reference to the cigarette packing machine described in my British patents specification Nos. 216,326 and 238,- 355. In the machines described in the said speciiications, .cigarettes are fed from the delivery end of a hopper into the mouths of a series of vanes, and the vanes are automatically vibrated so as to facilitate the move ment of the cigarettes in the channels formed between the vanes. The cigarettes are arranged to fall under gravity into the path of an endless conveyor which is adapted to convey the cigarettes through packing mechanism which encloses the cigarettes in an outer packet or wrapper.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, there is illustrated a number of cigarettes supported upon the base-plate 1 of a hopper constructed according to my British Patent No. 216,326. The base 1 of the hopper is continuously vibrated in order to ensure that cigarettes are fed from the main part of the hopper into the smaller compartment formed above the vane plates 2 by the oscillating baiile plates 3. 1-

Mounted at the upper end of each vane is adapted to extend along the upper edge'of each vane. Each roller 4 has secured `to the free end thereof a wormwheel 5 which is adapted to mesh with a worm 6 driven by a pinion 7 from the main drive of themachine.

rlhe iluted rollers 4 are adapted to rotate in bearings 11 and l2 mounted at either end of the vane plates 2. Secured on either side of the vane plates 2 are strips 8, the upper ends of which are adapted to shroud reduced portions 9 and 10 of the roller 4 so as to prevent the cigarettes jamming or locking between the strips 8 of one vane and the roller of the adjacent vane. The thickness.

. of the strips 8 plus the thickness of a vane plate 2 is arranged to be equivalent to the diameter of a tlutedlroller 4, so that the outer surface 8 of the strips are tangential to the tluted portion ofthe rollers 4.

When the apparatus is required to feed cork tipped cigarettes, the end of the luted roller e adjacent to the worm wheel 5 is provided with an extended reduced portion 10, adapted to permit the cork tipped portion of the cigarettes to pass between the rollers without engaging with the surfaces thereof, as it has been found in practice that due to the difference between the co-eicients vof friction of paper and cork, cork tipped cigarettes are liable to be crossed or dislodged if the tipped portion of the same is allowed to contact with the ilited surface of the rollers. e

Due to the fact that the adjacent portions of a pair of fluted rollers mounted upon a pair of adjacent vanes are moving in opposite directions the tendency of one roller is to remove cigarettes from the mouth of the vanes and the other roller to draw cigarettes between the vanes. 'Ihis action of an adjacent pair of rollers obviates two cigarettes becoming jammed in the mouth of a pair of vanes and consequently ensures the continuous feed of cigarettes through the channels formed between a pair of vanes.

Further in the case of oval cigarettes, there is a tendency for cigarettes to become lodged in the mouth of a pair of vanes with their minor axes located in the direction of the channel formed between a pair of vanes, and the action of the rotating rollers hereinbefore referred to, prevents the cigarettes resting in the mouth of the vanes as one of the rollers tends to draw the cigarettes from one side into the vanes, and the other roller tends to carrya cigarette from the other side into the mouth of the next pair of vanes. Further as the rollers which tend to draw the cigarettes into the channels between pairs of vanes are located on corresponding sides of the said channels, the tendency of these rollers is to locate oval cigarettes with their longer axes located in corresponding directions.

It has been found, however, that in order lto positively ensure that each oval cigarette is arranged in the. channel between a pair of vanes with its longer axes located in a predetermined direction, the vanes are referably shaped in the manner indicated 1n Fig. 3, wherein the mouth7 of eachk pair of vanes is inclined to the subsequent channel formed between the vanes. By arranging the mouth offeach pair of vanes so that it is inclined tothe subsequent channel formed between the vanes each oval cigarette which is fed into the mouth of the vanes is positively guided into a position wherein its longer axis is located in a direction which corresponds to the inclination of the mouth of the vanes. v .The effect of the inclined mouth of each pair of vanes upon a cigare-tte is clearly demonstrated in three stages by the positions of the cigarettes A, B and C, shown in Fig. 3.

Further each vane is provided at the junction between its two inclined sections with a recessed portion 20 which is formed on that Side of the vertical section which faces in the direction of movement of the cigarettes as they move down the inclined mouth of the vanes. The recessed portion 20 ensures that the trailing end of the longer axis of each oval cigarette drops into the said recess and locates each cigarette correctly with reference to preceding one.

The inclined lnouth land recessed portion 20 of each vane is preferably formed by the strips 8, as is clearly illustrated in Figs. 3 and 6, but it will be appreciated that-the vanes 2 could be suitably shaped into the desired configuration so as to constitutel the guiding elements for the cigarettes. It is to be clearly understood that in the foregoing claims the term vanes includes a shaped vane or a composite vanebuilt up of shaped strips and a plain dividing plate as is illus,- ltrated in the accompanying drawings.

The rotating fluted rollers hereinbefore referred to act as lips on the mouth of the vanes and ensure that the cigarettes are drawn into the mouths of the vanes one at a time, the inclination of the mouth of thev vane ensuring that each oval cigarette is automatically swung into its correct position before it engages with the preceding ciga rette located between a pair of vanes.

What I claimI as m invention Aand desire to secure by Letters atent is 1. A cigarette feeding apparatus which comprises a hopper adapted to accommodate cigarettes, a series of vanes located beneath the delivery end of said hopper and a pair of rotatable rollers mounted one on either side of the mouth of the channel formed be- 'Y tween each pair of vanes. j

2. A cigarette feeding apparatus which comprises in combination a hopper adapted to accommodate cigarettes, parallel vanes 1ocated beneath the delivery end of said hopper, a pair of rotatable rollers mounted upon the upper edges of each pair of vanes so as to constitute the lips of the mouth of the channel formed between each pair of vanes.v

5. In a cigarette feeding apparatus, in

Y combination, a hopper adapted to accommodate cigarettes, a series of s aced', parallel vanes located beneath the dp elivery end combination,

with the longer of said hopper, a-roller mounted adjacent and parallel to the upper edge of each vane and strips extending along the faces of said vanes -in the direction of movement of cigarettes between them and partially shrouding said rollers. Y

- 6. In a cigarette feeding apparatus, in

a hopper-adapted to accommodate cigarettes, a series of spaced, parallel vanes located beneath the deliver end of said hopper, a roller mounted adjacent and parallel tothe upper edge of each vane and strips extending along the faces of said vanes in the direction of movement of cigarettes between them, said strips extending above the upper edges of said vanes and having the extending portions inclined to the planes ofthe vanes.

7. A cigarette feeding apparatus which comprises in combination a hopper adapted to accommodate cigarettes, and vanes located beneath the delivery end of said hopper, the mouth of the channel between each pair of vanes being inclined to the subsequent channel separating the vanes in such a manner that oval cigarettes fed into the mouth of the said channel are automatically arranged axes thereof located in a substantially constant direction.

8. A cigarette feeding apparatus which comprises in combination a hopper adapted to accommodate cigarettes, vanes located berieath the delivery end of said hopper, rotatable rollers disposed between the delivery end4 of the hopper and the mouth formed between each pair of vanes arranged to turn -t em one at a. time of the oval cigarettes about their axes and deliver pair of vanes, said mouth being inclined to the subsequent channel separating the vanes in such a manner that the cigarettes are au` tomatically arranged in the channel With the longer axes thereof located in a substantially constant direction.

9.. A cigarette feeding apparatus which comprises in combination a hopper adapted to accommodate cigarettes, a pair of vanes located beneath the delivery end of said hopper, means forming a mouth between the pair of vanes inclined to the subsequent channel separating the vanes and the face of one vane being recessed at the junction between the mouth of the vanes and the subsequent channel so as to receive the trailing end of the longer axis of an oval cigarette.

into the mouth of each 10. A cigarette feeding apparatus which l comprises' in combination a hopper adapted to accommodate cigarettes, a pair of spaced vanes located beneath the'delivery end of said hopper having a pair of continuously rotating lluted rollers mounted at the mouth channel formed between the vanes, the mouth of each channel being inclined to the subsequent channel separating the vanes and the face of the vane facingin the direction of movement of a cigarette in said mouth being recessed 'at the Junction between lthe mouth of the vanes and the subsequent channel.

' In testimony whereof I hereunto aliix my slgnature.

WALTER EVERETT MOLINS. 

